A rocket fuel system consisting of two separate chemical components (fuel and oxidizer) that combust when mixed together.
From bi- (two) + propellant (from Latin propellere, to drive forward). This term became crucial in the space age (mid-20th century) as engineers developed sophisticated rocket engines.
Bipropellant rockets are essential for reaching space because they let engineers store fuel and oxidizer separately until the moment of ignition—it's why most space missions use systems like kerosene-and-oxygen or hydrazine-and-nitrogen tetroxide.
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